There are so many books and blogs on lifestyle and making your home a beautiful place. But I want to know, how does my home get its heart? Why does it matter to be involved in a community? Why does it matter to remember and pass on the legacy of family and place? Is gardening truly worthwhile, or is it a lofty, cute waste of time and money? I would call these three books my "starter pack" for going a bit deeper, and two of them actually have 'root' in their titles. Makes sense, doesn't it?

1. Humble Roots by Hannah Anderson is a beautiful, short, and easy read. It's thoughtful and poetic, but you could also take it to the beach or read a few pages before bed. Start out with this one and be inspired by Hannah's gift for storytelling where she considers her gardening and small community practices alongside her faith and personal anxiety. It's a lovely read strengthened by well-curated quotes and bits of horticulture.

2. Uprooted: Recovering the Legacy of the Places We've Left Behind by Grace Olmstead is part memoir, part journalism, a picture of the evolving rural community and farming situation in Idaho and across the United States. It's an inspiring read, especially for those of us who grew up on farms or in rural parts of the world. And if you didn't grew up in the countryside, I'd almost recommend it even more. Part of what Olmstead covers is the lack of understanding and care from those who have little to no understanding of people who work the land. Time and time again we see farmers or "country folk" mocked and minimized. It's time for that to stop and for us to realize the importance of rural communities, of small farms, of the farmer's autonomy. Perhaps Big Ag and the government have gotten a bit out of control. But the situation is complicated, and Olmstead handles the nuances fairly and minimizes political bias by sharing both statistics and stories.

3. Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry is one of my favorite novels of all time. The only way to know the depth, beauty, and agony of this book is to read it. A bright torch for family, marriage, land, community, heartache, and hope, Hannah Coulter is the only novel my husband, an avid nonfiction reader, has ever enjoyed. And (I'm telling a secret here, shhh) he may have teared up at the end. It's that good. *

Listen, I don't own chickens and just recently learned to bake sourdough bread. When I'm in the States, I enjoy the occasional stroll through Target like the next girl. The concept of homesteading and investing in one piece of property has never seemed realistic, because I move frequently. But I'm learning there are both principles and practices that we all can carry with us wherever we go. In this fast-paced world where even the kindest people seem to idealize being busy and running around like those chickens (I don't own) with their heads chopped off, these are three books to help us sit back and think, "What do I want to build with my home, with my life?"

This doesn't mean you need to buy ten acres and wear overalls. Maybe it does, but most likely it means something a little different and more personalized. City living is for some of you, and that's amazing. I write of rural life because that's what I know in my bones and I believe even if you don't choose it yourself, learning the beauty of it will aid any lifestyle you choose. It's all about tending to your place and community of choice with care with dignity. Being a part, being a member.

As much as I enjoy moving around, I want to be engaged, giving, present rather than pillaging for my own ephemeral experiences. 'Home' isn't just where we store our belongings, and the search for it will inevitably take us a little deeper into what it means to be here, to be human, to be made for something more.

And the world cannot be discovered by a journey of miles,

no matter how long,

but only by a spiritual journey,

a journey of one inch,

very arduous and humbling and joyful,

by which we arrive at the ground at our feet,

and learn to be at home.

Wendell Berry, "A Spiritual Journey"

I hope you enjoy these books, if you give them a go. Please let me know what I need to add to the list!

You can also follow along on Instagram at audreyann.masur to chat about these kinds of things and see photos of our life in the Cotswolds (beautiful English countryside)!

*Full Disclosure: All three of these books do come from a Christian perspective, but only Humble Roots is directly overt. I hope you enjoy them!